Railway-signal



(No Model.)

P. B. WETHERBEE.

' RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 542,699. I Patented July 16, 1895.

UNrrn STATES n'rnnr rrror;..

FREDERIOKB. VVETHERBEE, OF WALPOLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

RA! LWA Y-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,699, dated July 16,189 5.

Application filed May 3,1895. Serial No. 547,977. (No man.)

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known'that I, FREDERICK B. WETHER- BEE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at \Valpole, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway-Signals, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to railway-signals of that class wherein an alarmis sounded at a crossing through electrical connections while the trainitself is some distance from the crossing. I am aware that this idea isnot broadly new; but in the devices heretofore pat.- ented or now in usethe mechanism for operating the signal, which is usually a bell, is verycomplicated as well as defective in many respects, notably in the mannerof stopping the ringing of the alarm after the train has passed thecrossing if it should be sidetracked before reaching the contact-pointsthat wouldoperate to stop the ringing of the alarm.

My invention, therefore, is designed not only to lessen the parts andsimplify the ordinary mechanism but to insure the perfect working of thesignal and to preventthe alarm ringing after the train has passed thecross ing, even though it should be side-tracked before reaching theopposite contact-points from those that set the bell into operation.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view of a section of arailway-trackand the accompanying signal and operating mechanism therefor, and Fig. 2represents a modification.

The track is shown at 1, and arranged a convenient distance therefromare the electromagnets 2 2 supported in a suitable frame. Between thefront ends of the magnets and extending from the frame is a verticalstandard 3, and pivoted to the upper end thereof is the rocking bar 4having the hooked ends 4 and 4 which extend when the bar is in normalposition in close proximity to the up per ends of the armatures 6 6 andslightly overhang the same.

The rocking bar 4. is designed to lock one of the armatures when theopposite armature is attracted by the energizing of its magnet, audthisis accomplished by the tilting of said bar, thus bringing one of thehooked ends into engagement with the corresponding armature. Toaccomplishthis the bar 4 carries on opposite sides of its pivot-pointdepending arms 7 7, which have their lower ends connected with thearmatures by means of the spiral spring 8 8 To prevent the armaturesbeing drawn out of their proper relation relative to the magnet alaterally-extending bar 9 isrigidly attached to the standard 3, and thisprevents the armature being displaced by the tension of the spring 8 8.

The wires 1O 10 and 11 ll lead, respectively, from the electromagnets 2and 2 to a suitable distance on each side of the track where they areconnected to the rails.

The rails are provided with insulators 11 located at the crossing, sothat the section of track on each side is insulated from that on theother side of the crossing.

A supplemental circuit is provided which is closed by the movement ofthe armatures, as follows: A post 12 in proximity to each magnet carriesa contact-point 12 located in the path of the armature, which isprovided with a second contact point 12*. From the armature 6 or itscontact-point a wire 13 extends through a battery and alarm-bell andthence back to the post 12, while a similar circuit is provided for thearmature 6*. It will thus be seen that the attraction of one of thearmatures will cause points 12"' and 12 to contact, closing the circuitand ringing the alarm.

The operation of the device is as follows: Supposing the train to beapproaching in the direction of the arrow, it will be seen that thecircuit will be closed through the magnet 2, wires 11 11, track andwheels, and axle of car and the armature 6 will be attracted and thesupplemental circuitbrought into action, sounding the alarm. Themovement of the armature 6 will tilt the bar i and bring the hook 4:into engagement with the armature 6 and lock this armature securelyagainst movement. The onward progress of the train will now bringit-over the insulators 11 and as the last car passes the circuit throughthe magnet 2 will be broken. The spring 8 would then draw the armature 6back into ICC position and allowthe bar A to resume its normal positionwere it not that before the circuit through the magnet 2 was entirelybroken the circuit is closed through the magnet 2 and the armature 6attracted, but is prevented from moving by the rocking bar 4. When thearmature 6 is released it can return to normal position; but theattraction of the armature 6 by its magnet causes the hook P to bindagainst and securely hold itself against movement until in the onwardmovement of the train the circuit through magnet 2 is broken, when allthe parts return to normal position.

In the device shown in Fig. 2 the arrangement of armatures and themethods of energizing and de-energizing the magnets are reversed-What isto say, the magnets are normally energized and attract and hold thearmatures, said armatures being pivoted near their upper ends to theextension as. A lateral arm 00' extends from the lower end of eacharmature, and this arm isconnected to the locking-bar by a spiral springsimilar to those used in the main form. As will be seen, the circuitthrough the bell is closed by break 'ing the circuit through one of themagnets, which will permit the armature to be drawn out of engagementtherewith and close the circuit for operating the signal. As soon as themagnet on one 'side ot'the central standard isdemagnetized andthearmature drawn position. Any suitable circuit-breaking device may beused to be operated bythe wheels of the car to break the circuitsthrough the coils of the magnets.

I claim- 1. In an electrical signal for railways, the two oppositelyarranged magnets separately in electrical connection with the track, thetwo armatures therefor, the bell circuit arranged to be closed by themovement of the arm atures, the vertical standard arranged be.- tweensaid magnets and the hooked bar pivoted intermediate of its length tosaid standard, said bar being adapted to be operated to lock either ofsaid armatures, substantially as described.

2. In an electric signal for railways, two magnets separately inelectrical connection with the track, the two armatures, the standardinterposed between the same, and the rocking bar mounted on the standardhaving hooked ends overhanging the arinatures and connections from saidbar to each armature whereby the movement of one armature will rock thebar and lock the otherarmature, substantially as described.

3. In an electric railway signal, the oppositely arranged magnets andarmatures, the

vertical standard intermediate of the same,

the rocking bar pivotedto said standard, the spring connecting saidarmatures to said bar whereby when one of said armatures is operated bythe oncoming train, the bar will be tilted to lock theopposite'armature.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK B. WETIIERBEE. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. WARNER, E. LESTER BOWMAN.

